Insulated rail-joint.



L. GRIFFITH.

INSULATED RAIL JOINT.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 20, 1913.

1,174,493. Patented Mar.7,1916.

' I 1 @56 v /d 5 /J "/2 75 I d APH cal. WASHINGTON, D. c

LAWRENCE GRIFFITH, or yoniinas, NEW YORK. Q

VINSULATED RAIL-Jo ns Specification of Letters Patent.

To all whom it may concern l Be it known that I, LAWRENCE GRIFFITH, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Yonkers, in the county of. Westchesterand State of New York, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Insulated Rail-Joints, of which'the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in 'rail joints and has relation more particularly to ajointof this general character especially designed and adapted to in sulate the meeting ends of rails in order to create the block sections necessary I in the electrical systems of signaling commonly employed. 7

' 'The object of-the invention to provide 1 a joint of this general character having novel and'improved means whereby offset of a part or parts of the improved jolnt, es-

' pecially offset created by the insulation, may

be compensated for in a ready and convenient manner whereby an effective joint is assured. I

The invention consists in certain novel features of. construction, and combinations and arrangements of the several parts of the improved rail joint whereby certain impor-;

tant advantages are attained and the device is rendered simpler, less expensive and otherwise better adapted and more convenient for use, all as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

The novel features of the invention will be carefully defined in the claims.

In order that the invention may be'better understood, I will now proceed to describe the same with reference to theaccompanying drawings wherein likecharacters of reference denote corresponding parts in the several views, and Wherein Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a rail joint constructed in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; Fig. 2 a sectional view taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 a sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 a view in perspective, detached, of a compensating or filler plate or member as contained in the present embodiment of the invention; and Fig. 5 a.

View similar to Fig. 4 illustrating an insulating plate or member as herein described. As illustrated in these views, 1, 2, denote the meeting ends of rails having interposed Ehergbetween the insulating block or mempass.

3, 3 denote fish" plates of anyordinary or preferred construction serving'to tie or connect such 'railsl and E2, in the usual manner, said fish plates3, 3, being held against displacement by the'wtransversely directed bolts 4, 4, having their'threaded extremities engaged by the clamping; members or nuts '8, 8, it being obvious that said plates 3, 3,

and the webs of the rails 1, 2,-are provided with reglsterlng apertures or openings for the passage of sa1d-bolt's4, 4'.

Interposed between a side of each of the" rails l, 2, and the adjacent overlapping portion of the plate 3 is'an insulating member 6-0f such size, -'configuration and thickness as to effectually prevent any contact of the overlapping portion ofthe plate 3 with the rail.- The member 6 is provided with the openings 9, 9, through whichthe bolts 4, 4,

The insulating members 6, 6, are disposed inalte'rnatmg or staggered relation for reasons which are believed to-be clearly apparent to those'skilled in the art to which the present lnvention appertains. It is also to be observed that the bolts 4, 4, are extended through the respective rails 1 and 2, in a direction away from the lnsulatlng members, and that a sleeve 12 of-insulation is positioned about each of the bolts 4, 4, near the head thereof and extends or projects through the corresponding opening of the Patented Mar. 7,1916,

plate3." A washer 14 of insulation is inter posed between the plate 3, and the head 15 of each of the bolts. By the disposition of the several insulating partsit will be obvious that an effective insulation is created between the rails 1', 2; and the passage "of electrical energy from one of such rails to the other is completely guarded against.

The location or positioning of the insulating members 6, ,6, results in an ofiset of the plates 3, 3, relatively to the rails 1 and 2, and for the successful employment of a joint of this character it has been found essential that this oifset be compensated for at the end portions of the plates 3, free of the insulating members. As herein disclosed, there are interposed between such portions of the plates 3, 3, and the adjacent portions of the rails 1, 2, metal compensating fillers 10, 10, of substantially the same thickness as the insulating members 6, 6, and of substantially identical configuration and size. For

convenience of assemblage into operative positlon, each of such compensatlng fillers 10, as shown in Fig. 4, is divided longitudinally into a plurality of sections, herein set forth as two in number, and having pro duced in their adjacent edges the alining recesses 11, 11, substantially semi-circular in form and adapted to accommodate the bolts 4, 4, and thereby aifording a convenient and effective means for holding the same against such longitudinal movement or creeping as would result in the displacement thereof from operative position.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that a rail joint constructed in accordance with the invention is of an extremely simple and comparatively inexpensive nature, and is particularly well adapted for use by reason of the convenience and facility whereby offset of a part or parts thereof may be compensated for. It is also obvious, from the foregoing description, that the rail joint is susceptible of some modification and change without material departure from the principles and spirit of the invention, and for this reason it is not to be understood that the invention is limited to the precise formation and arrangement of the several parts of the improved rail joint herein set forth.

What I claim is:

1. An insulated rail joint comprising two rail ends, two fish plates connecting said rail ends, a one piece insulation between one end of one fish plate and one rail end, said insulation extending under the head of the rail and over the base flange thereof, a corresponding one piece insulation between the other fish plate and the other rail end whereby said insulations will be in staggered re-' lation on opposite sides of the rails, and compensating metal fillers between the fish plates and the rail ends said metal fillers being divided longitudinally and extending under the rail head and over the base flange,

said divided fillers being on opposite sides of the rails from the insulation and in stag- Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each,

gered relation, the two sections of the metal filler being notched for the passage of the joint bolts whereby the said bolts will prevent longitudinal movement of said fillers.

2. An insulated rail joint comprising two rail ends, two fish plates connecting said rail ends, insulation between one end of one fish plate and one rail end, said insulation extending under the head of the rail and over the base flange thereof, corresponding insulation between the other fish plate and the other rail end whereby said insulations will be in staggered relation and on opposite sides of the rails, and compensating metal fillers between the fish plates and the rail ends said metal fillers extending under the rail head and over the base flange, and being on opposite sides of the rails from the insulation and in staggered relation, the metal filler being cut out for the passage of the joint bolts whereby the said bolts will prevent longitudinal movement of said fillers.

3. An insulated rail oint comprising two rail ends, two fish plates connecting said rail ends, a one piece insulation between one end of one fish plate and one rail end, said insulation extending under the head of the rail and over the base flange thereof, a corresponding one piece insulation between the other fish plate and the other rail end whereby said insulations will be in staggered relation on opposite sides of the rails, and compensating metal fillers between the fish plates and the rail ends said metal fillers be ing divided longitudinally and extending under the rail head and over the base fiange, said divided fillers being onopposite sides of the rails from the insulation and in staggered relation.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

LAWRENCE GRIFFITH.

WVitnesses:

LILLIAN MCGUIRE, F. R. MILLER.

by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

